Need a little help.

[blipco]

I'm in the market for a 50cc scooter. What are the differences between a 50 two stroke and a 50 four stroke as far as performance is concerned? My experience on small scoots is limited. I owned a 50 2S 10 years ago but test rode a FLY 4S yesterday and was amazed at the poor acceleration. I once rented a Kymco People (2S I believe) and with two up it was blowing past all the other scooters on Block Island with single riders and quickly hit 45 or so on the speedo. Are 2 strokes faster? Would a Ruckus have the same performance as the Piaggio Fly 50 4 stroke? Would a 2 stroke Zuma be faster than either the Ruckus or the Fly? Thanks all for the help?

[approachbears]

Separate faster into acceleration or top speed.
Acceleration is generally better on 2 vs. 4. Top speeds are often higher on some of the 4stroke 50's. But it all depends on the actual scooter. My Ruckus has a higher top speed than a stock Zuma, based on informally racing someone, but acceleration is noticeably worse. I've seen 4 stroke Lance Charming's that can't break 35mph. I've ridden a new, stock 2 stroke, 50cc Tomos moped that couldn't break 37mph or keep up with my Ruckus. Even a supposed 50cc rocket like the 2 stroke Aprilia SR50 only does 40mph or so in stock form.

I don't know of a 4 stroke 50 that goes better than 42 or 43 mph stock with a normal sized rider on the flats. Others here on advrider have reported top speeds of 41 or so for a stock '05 Zuma (USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION SOMETIME). On other sites people report 37 to 40mph for newer, non-modified Zumas. I believe that the restrictions on the Zuma have changed over the years while the engine has basically stayed the same. Most people who report high top speeds on 2 smokes are riding de-restricted and modified scooter.

The Honda Metropolitan uses the same GET engine as the Ruckus and is slightly faster stock (better aerodynamics, thinner tires for less rolling resistance). You aren't going to get a stock GET engine faster than 42 or 43mph even on a downhill--the computer controlling ignition won't allow it once you bounce off the rev limiter. Of course, there are tons of aftermarket toys to make the Honda's faster.

I've never ridden a Fly 50, so I have nothing to report there.

[blipco]

App. thanks for the reply and yes I will use the search feature. The Fly is a nice scooter. Rode it five minutes. Good brakes, good over bumps, felt solid but was disappointed to see the Made in China sticker on an Italian marque. I own motorcycles and my current scoot is a Majesty 400. I live in Boston and want a local commuter that I can blast to work on and then chain to a parking meter. I enjoy the small scoots as they remind me of being on vacation. The 2 strokes seem to get up to speed quicker, a must with a-hole Boston drivers.

[approachbears]

Originally Posted by blipco

App. thanks for the reply and yes I will use the search feature. The Fly is a nice scooter. Rode it five minutes. Good brakes, good over bumps, felt solid but was disappointed to see the Made in China sticker on an Italian marque. I own motorcycles and my current scoot is a Majesty 400. I live in Boston and want a local commuter that I can blast to work on and then chain to a parking meter. I enjoy the small scoots as they remind me of being on vacation. The 2 strokes seem to get up to speed quicker, a must with a-hole Boston drivers.

I don't like 2 strokes myself--stinky, polluting, need more upkeep in my opinion. But if you're fine with them, my advice is to find a cheap used Zuma (or Aprilia SR50 or KYMCO Super 9 if you're lucky enough to find one cheap) and read up on de-restricting it so it gets into the mid-40's.

[tortoise2]

Originally Posted by blipco

I live in Boston and want a local commuter that I can blast to work on and then chain to a parking meter.

Per Mass DMV . .
"Mopeds will not be operated . . At a speed greater than 25 miles per hour."

Related article . .
"Boston has rules against chaining bicycles to posts and parking meters. If a moped owner chains her vehicle, parking officials might cut the chain and tow the vehicle."

[notdave]

don't 2 strokes burn oil? why not go bigger than 49cc? if i was in the market for another scoot i'd look for used non chinese (sym/kymco ok) scoots at 125cc or above.

[approachbears]

Originally Posted by notdave

don't 2 strokes burn oil? why not go bigger than 49cc? if i was in the market for another scoot i'd look for used non chinese (sym/kymco ok) scoots at 125cc or above.

Yes, 2 strokes burn oil. That's inherent in them.

The reason for 49cc is that some states don't require as much in terms of licenses, registrations, taxes, fees, insurance, etc... for 49cc. Plus, in some places, like where I live/work, only 49cc scoots can legally park on sidewalks and bike racks or for free in spaces. It appears, per post above, that this isn't the case for Boston though.

[redhandmoto]

Derestricted my wife's Honda Met - bounces off the rev limiter, as 'bears said, in the low 40s, but gets there a lot more quickly and handles hills better with the restriction plate pulled and a rejet.

guys at urbanscootin.com (a mostly Met-oriented site) can fill you in. The Met set up thus is a hoot - love to ride the wife's, but my legs are so long, my butt hangs off the rear.

[blipco]

Originally Posted by tortoise2

Per Mass DMV . .
"Mopeds will not be operated . . At a speed greater than 25 miles per hour."

Related article . .
"Boston has rules against chaining bicycles to posts and parking meters. If a moped owner chains her vehicle, parking officials might cut the chain and tow the vehicle."

Tort, thanks for the articles as I was already aware of these rules but the re-read was good. Mopeds and larger scoots were off the radar in Boston for years. A scooterist could wreak havoc with not a glance from a local cop. Then came the pocket bikes, by the droves, kids everywhere darting helmet-less out into traffic so low you couldn't see them in front of your car. Overnight, the city banned them. If you were caught on one it was confiscated. Overnight, they all but disappeared. I hope the moped scrutiny goes away. In a city such as Boston, being able to legally ride up the RIGHT side of traffic to the light means cutting commute times in half. In London there is moped parking everywhere. After spending 16 billion dollars on the Big Dig in Boston to alleviate auto congestion you would think they would pull a few parking meters to allow scoots to park.

[techguy]

The Kymcos, both in 2T and 4T, seem to be screamers in the the 50CC range. I have never ridden one but everything I read says they are fast. There is a fast Aprilia SR50?. IIRC.

[pampine]

Originally Posted by blipco

Tort, thanks for the articles as I was already aware of these rules but the re-read was good. Mopeds and larger scoots were off the radar in Boston for years. A scooterist could wreak havoc with not a glance from a local cop. Then came the pocket bikes, by the droves, kids everywhere darting helmet-less out into traffic so low you couldn't see them in front of your car. Overnight, the city banned them. If you were caught on one it was confiscated. Overnight, they all but disappeared. I hope the moped scrutiny goes away. In a city such as Boston, being able to legally ride up the RIGHT side of traffic to the light means cutting commute times in half. In London there is moped parking everywhere. After spending 16 billion dollars on the Big Dig in Boston to alleviate auto congestion you would think they would pull a few parking meters to allow scoots to park.

When I lived in Boston, '79-'91, I drove an R90S around; and whenever I was stopped by a line of cars with a cop directing the traffic, the cop usually beckoned me to the front of the line and told me I was supposed to go around the traffic, that that was the benefit in biking. Of course, I had to get out of there pretty quickly since the cars now behind me weren't happy campers.

Pam